Officer made himself less German, to fight

Commanders in the First World War had a rule — don't yield any ground to the enemy, almost regardless of the cost.

This helps explain why giant armies faced each other from trenches dug just steps apart. If one side overran an enemy trench, the other side counterattacked as quickly as possible to regain it.

Stubborn adherence to this battlefield tactic helps explain why millions died trading slivers of earth. It's partly why Lt. Russell Williams, awarded a foreign Croix de Guerre for bravery, never came home to New Hamburg.

Williams enlisted in February 1916, downplaying his German heritage by adopting an anglicized version of his birth name, which was Wilhelm. The grandson of a German immigrant, he spoke German and English growing up, and was a student and teacher before becoming a soldier.

Williams came from a large family (father Daniel was a farmer) and he undertook military training before volunteering. He signed up just before he turned 24. The army, likely seeing his schooling and training, quickly made him an officer.

By May 1917, Williams was in northern France, assigned as an adjutant for the 19th Canadian infantry battalion, which was recruited largely from central Ontario. The previous month, in a bloody feat of arms, Canadian troops had dislodged the Germans from Vimy Ridge.

Canada followed its Vimy success on May 3, 1917, by pushing the Germans out of nearby Fresnoy, a red-roofed village that offered a commanding view of German defences. British soldiers then relieved tired Canadians who had liberated the village.

The Germans could not accept this loss of ground. They counterattacked May 8 with a fierce bombardment including poison gas. Waves of infantry followed. The British expected the counterattack but had not adequately fortified Fresnoy. The enemy retook the village, practically wiping out its British defenders.

"It was a hard blow to the British troops, who appeared to have folded where Canadians had stood strong," historian Tim Cook writes.

The Allies in turn could not let this defeat stand, following the rule that ground lost must be quickly regained. Within hours, the 19th battalion was ordered to counterattack at Fresnoy. The battalion's daily war diary tells of its initial success.

The Support Company went about their work in a most satisfactory manner, and working down the front line attacked the enemy on the flank, capturing three unwounded prisoners and killing a number of Bosches with bombs and bayonets.

But the battalion did not have enough troops for the job. The British were reeling and could not provide reinforcements. Despite a strong start, the Canadians had to withdraw. For the next two days the Germans shelled the 19th battalion from three directions, causing heavy casualties.

Williams was caught up in the fury. A German shell killed him in front of battalion headquarters on May 9, 1917.

Ultimately, failing to recapture Fresnoy cost the 19th battalion 11 officers and 225 other ranks "of which the majority were killed outright with shrapnel," the war diary states.

Days later, the battered battalion was pulled out of front-line trenches, sent to tents in the rear. The rest was "very much appreciated by all of us as we had been through a very trying ordeal," the war diary states.

Williams is buried at Ecoivres Military Cemetery in northern France with 2,517 other First World War dead.

Officer made himself less German, to fight

Commanders in the First World War had a rule — don't yield any ground to the enemy, almost regardless of the cost.

This helps explain why giant armies faced each other from trenches dug just steps apart. If one side overran an enemy trench, the other side counterattacked as quickly as possible to regain it.

Stubborn adherence to this battlefield tactic helps explain why millions died trading slivers of earth. It's partly why Lt. Russell Williams, awarded a foreign Croix de Guerre for bravery, never came home to New Hamburg.

Williams enlisted in February 1916, downplaying his German heritage by adopting an anglicized version of his birth name, which was Wilhelm. The grandson of a German immigrant, he spoke German and English growing up, and was a student and teacher before becoming a soldier.

Williams came from a large family (father Daniel was a farmer) and he undertook military training before volunteering. He signed up just before he turned 24. The army, likely seeing his schooling and training, quickly made him an officer.

By May 1917, Williams was in northern France, assigned as an adjutant for the 19th Canadian infantry battalion, which was recruited largely from central Ontario. The previous month, in a bloody feat of arms, Canadian troops had dislodged the Germans from Vimy Ridge.

Canada followed its Vimy success on May 3, 1917, by pushing the Germans out of nearby Fresnoy, a red-roofed village that offered a commanding view of German defences. British soldiers then relieved tired Canadians who had liberated the village.

The Germans could not accept this loss of ground. They counterattacked May 8 with a fierce bombardment including poison gas. Waves of infantry followed. The British expected the counterattack but had not adequately fortified Fresnoy. The enemy retook the village, practically wiping out its British defenders.

"It was a hard blow to the British troops, who appeared to have folded where Canadians had stood strong," historian Tim Cook writes.

The Allies in turn could not let this defeat stand, following the rule that ground lost must be quickly regained. Within hours, the 19th battalion was ordered to counterattack at Fresnoy. The battalion's daily war diary tells of its initial success.

The Support Company went about their work in a most satisfactory manner, and working down the front line attacked the enemy on the flank, capturing three unwounded prisoners and killing a number of Bosches with bombs and bayonets.

But the battalion did not have enough troops for the job. The British were reeling and could not provide reinforcements. Despite a strong start, the Canadians had to withdraw. For the next two days the Germans shelled the 19th battalion from three directions, causing heavy casualties.

Williams was caught up in the fury. A German shell killed him in front of battalion headquarters on May 9, 1917.

Ultimately, failing to recapture Fresnoy cost the 19th battalion 11 officers and 225 other ranks "of which the majority were killed outright with shrapnel," the war diary states.

Days later, the battered battalion was pulled out of front-line trenches, sent to tents in the rear. The rest was "very much appreciated by all of us as we had been through a very trying ordeal," the war diary states.

Williams is buried at Ecoivres Military Cemetery in northern France with 2,517 other First World War dead.

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Officer made himself less German, to fight

Commanders in the First World War had a rule — don't yield any ground to the enemy, almost regardless of the cost.

This helps explain why giant armies faced each other from trenches dug just steps apart. If one side overran an enemy trench, the other side counterattacked as quickly as possible to regain it.

Stubborn adherence to this battlefield tactic helps explain why millions died trading slivers of earth. It's partly why Lt. Russell Williams, awarded a foreign Croix de Guerre for bravery, never came home to New Hamburg.

Williams enlisted in February 1916, downplaying his German heritage by adopting an anglicized version of his birth name, which was Wilhelm. The grandson of a German immigrant, he spoke German and English growing up, and was a student and teacher before becoming a soldier.

Williams came from a large family (father Daniel was a farmer) and he undertook military training before volunteering. He signed up just before he turned 24. The army, likely seeing his schooling and training, quickly made him an officer.

By May 1917, Williams was in northern France, assigned as an adjutant for the 19th Canadian infantry battalion, which was recruited largely from central Ontario. The previous month, in a bloody feat of arms, Canadian troops had dislodged the Germans from Vimy Ridge.

Canada followed its Vimy success on May 3, 1917, by pushing the Germans out of nearby Fresnoy, a red-roofed village that offered a commanding view of German defences. British soldiers then relieved tired Canadians who had liberated the village.

The Germans could not accept this loss of ground. They counterattacked May 8 with a fierce bombardment including poison gas. Waves of infantry followed. The British expected the counterattack but had not adequately fortified Fresnoy. The enemy retook the village, practically wiping out its British defenders.

"It was a hard blow to the British troops, who appeared to have folded where Canadians had stood strong," historian Tim Cook writes.

The Allies in turn could not let this defeat stand, following the rule that ground lost must be quickly regained. Within hours, the 19th battalion was ordered to counterattack at Fresnoy. The battalion's daily war diary tells of its initial success.

The Support Company went about their work in a most satisfactory manner, and working down the front line attacked the enemy on the flank, capturing three unwounded prisoners and killing a number of Bosches with bombs and bayonets.

But the battalion did not have enough troops for the job. The British were reeling and could not provide reinforcements. Despite a strong start, the Canadians had to withdraw. For the next two days the Germans shelled the 19th battalion from three directions, causing heavy casualties.

Williams was caught up in the fury. A German shell killed him in front of battalion headquarters on May 9, 1917.

Ultimately, failing to recapture Fresnoy cost the 19th battalion 11 officers and 225 other ranks "of which the majority were killed outright with shrapnel," the war diary states.

Days later, the battered battalion was pulled out of front-line trenches, sent to tents in the rear. The rest was "very much appreciated by all of us as we had been through a very trying ordeal," the war diary states.

Williams is buried at Ecoivres Military Cemetery in northern France with 2,517 other First World War dead.